Valentine’s Day quickens the pulse with “Cupid’s chemistry,” “hearts and history” and probably mostly unromantic comedy.
Monday, February 9
At Creative Arts Workshop, a series of live demonstrations held in conjunction with XOXO, an annual Valentine’s exhibit and sale of “one-of-a-kind treasures” crafted by CAW faculty and students, begins with a card-making demo at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 10
At 6 p.m., East Rock Brewing screens the cult classic True Romance (1993), about a pair of “newlyweds who head to California with a stolen suitcase of drugs, with the Mafia in close pursuit and their future very uncertain.”
At 7 at Morse Recital Hall, “the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet—praised for performances that are ‘fearless, yet probingly beautiful’ (The Strad)—illuminates the emotional complexity of Schubert’s chamber works” with assistance from cellist Paul Watkins.
Wednesday, February 11
At 12:30 p.m. at the Yale University Art Gallery, curator John Stuart Gordon wraps visitors in the history of a unique and otherwise special quilt at the heart of the exhibition Keeping Alive the Remembrance: Commemorating America’s Founding, 1776–1876.
At 6:30, East Rock Brewing hosts a rom-com trivia night.
At 8, a Synth Dreams night at Cafe Nine features goth rock from Midnight Psychic, synthpop/New Wave from The Way Up, “dark, cinematic, suspenseful techno and broken beat” from GRNCH and “hyped-up chip’n’bass” from DonutShoes, who’ll be “wielding link’d-n-sync’d Game Boys.”
Thursday, February 12
At 6 p.m., New England Brewing hosts an apparently annual live version of The Newlywed Game. Contestant slots are filled, but spectator seats await.
Also at 6, at the New Haven Museum, Ainissa Ramirez discusses “the li[ves] and work[s] of Black innovators who made things we use every day.”
Also at 6, Cupid’s Chemistry Hour, “a relaxed, well-curated singles social” at Jack’s with “beer, champagne, and a charcuterie spread” included, aims “to spark genuine conversation in a comfortable, welcoming setting.”
Friday, February 13
From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Hearts & History, a V-Day gathering at Lost in New Haven, offers live jazz, a scavenger hunt, a food truck, a cash bar, a “Valentine’s candy bar” and more.
At 8 at The Cellar on Treadwell in Hamden, an Anti-Valentine’s Day Metal Massacre joins a tradition of contrarian reactions to the holiday. Here that reaction will be particularly strong, with a bill of metal bands promising “no mercy”: Cyperna, No Honor Among Thieves, Scumbag and A Matter of Fact.
Also at 8, a Valentine’s Day comedy show at East Haven’s Cabaret on Main features Sharon Simon, Davey Lozano, Jasmine Mills, Cara Amore and host Jonny Benson.
Saturday, February 14 - Valentine’s Day
At 3 p.m. at M&T Bank Arena, the nationally ranked Quinnipiac women’s hockey team hosts also-nationally ranked Yale.
Tonight at 7:30 and tomorrow afternoon at 3, Yale Opera presents La bohème, Puccini’s “timeless story of young artists in love,” at the Shubert.
The Regicides improv troupe is “two-timing” tonight at Lotta Studio, with a 7 o’clock show and another at 8:30 promising “fast, smart, unscripted comedy.”
Sunday, February 15
From 1 to 6 p.m., the Italian American Club of East Haven aims to create “a world of magic and mystery” during its Italian Carnevale. “Join us for an unforgettable afternoon filled with live music, dancing, raffles, and a masquerade contest celebrating Italian culture and heritage… Masks encouraged!”
Written and photographed by Dan Mims. Image features a 2023 clip of the Yale women’s hockey team in action. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations, prices and other details before attending events.
